VIDEO- Keith Olbermann's Special Comment: McCain's disturbing lack of faith in America

By GottaLaff

If you missed this last night, here's your chance to see a doozy. Keith expressed what so many of us wished we could have:

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VIDEO- Special BLUNT: Equal Pay for Women

By GottaLaff

Blunt is a lot like letters to the editor. YOUR take, short, to the point.

You have a voice, now use it.

This is one more way to be heard. We're grassrootsy like that.

This edition of Blunt is very special. It is dedicated to the Paycheck Fairness Act:

Support the Paycheck Fairness Act

Easy way to take action: Send an E-Card

Now take a look at this Chart: Earnings ratio by state between male and female full-time workers, age 16 and older, all educational levels. Find your state. See that gap? Good. Now pick your jaw up off the floor and call your Congressperson.

(Click on image to enlarge)

For more information about Blunt, follow this link. If you think a video file is too big to email, then go here and use YouSendIt.com.

Please include a name you'd like to use, and a "title", if any, in your e-mail, as you'll see in the video graphics.

Remember: Try to keep the videos at 20 seconds or under.

VIDEO- Keith Olbermann's Special Comment on GOPFail

By GottaLaff

Keithgasm:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Keith to The Boehner: "You lost.... You are behind the wheel of a political Toyota."

Just. Watch. It's a thing of beauty.

Keith is back with a bang.

Keith is back

By GottaLaff

Keith Olbermann will return to Countdown tonight, with a Special Comment about the health care reform bill passing last night.

I'm willing to bet we'll need to grab the Kleenex.

Welcome back, Keith. You were missed.

Immorality of the Right: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

My impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about the way the GOP has (mis)behaved lately. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

Immorality Of The Right

For some time I have given much thought about writing a Special Comment on the Immorality of the Right. There are so many topics that could be covered in such an article, such as their positions on (a) health care, (b) women’s rights and (c ) gay rights. But a couple of things happened in the last few days that really shows, the immorality of the Republicans.

Unemployment Insurance coverage and COBRA benefits ends for many Americans on February 28, and they need Congress to approve extensions of both programs for their benefits to continue.

Yet there stands Sen. Jim Bunning, single-handily blocking a unanimous consent vote of the Senate for a 30 day extension of coverage. The Senate needs this time period to address the issue of continuing the benefits of the long term unemployed for the remainder of the year.

It is estimated that 1.2 million Americans will lose their benefits, which they surely need, if both extensions aren‘t approved. Sen. Bunning is against extending the benefits as it will increase the country's deficit by $10 billion unless there is an offset to it.

Yesterday, Sen. Bunning received the support of Sen. John Cornyn who said "I admire the courage of the junior senator from Kentucky... Somebody has to stand up finally and say, ‘No more inter-generational theft!’"

I have to wonder: Where were their concerns about the growing deficit during the Bush Administration?

You may say, these are only two Republicans who seem to be against the extension of benefits. My response is, the Republican leadership knows how important this extension is for the American people, and they could have put the clamps on Senator Bunning if they so desired, but their silence is deafening. Is it any wonder why Senator Reid took these items out of the jobs bill?

The Senate has recessed for the weekend without taking any action on the extension of benefits; which mean thousands of Americans will wake up Monday morning without any funds to pay their bills, and many will be without any health coverage.

By not extending COBRA coverage, the Republicans just increased the number of Americans without any health insurance. Just what this country doesn’t need, more people foregoing medicines and doctor visits while putting more stress on our emergency rooms.

What the Republicans fail to realize is, their inaction will not only affect those receiving benefits, but also their immediate family members. In many cases those unemployed are receiving financial assistance from their parents, and some have moved in with their parents because they can no longer afford either the rent or mortgage payment.

In many instances their parents are senior citizens who are trying to deal with our tough economic times and now will have a greater burden placed upon them. The additional people affected is never discussed by our politicians or the media. When they say 1.2 million American will be affected, it is much greater than that, by an unknown numerical factor.

Today is a very sad day for America, when Republicans show they have very little care for people in need. I wonder how they can look themselves in the mirror?

Republicans are the modern day Neros: They fiddle away their time while the country crumbles to the ground.

Many thanks again for another thoughtful, relevant piece, 42bkdodgr. You often say what many of us are thinking and feeling, and we thank you for your unique perspective.

Keith Olbermann Off Tonight, Will Be With His Father

By GottaLaff

Oh no. Not what we want to hear.

Help. Help. Help:

Keith Olbermann will not co-host the special edition of "Countdown" on MSNBC tonight as previously announced. Instead, Chris Matthews will host a special "Hardball" with Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie.

Last night, Keith mentioned he would have to take time off if his dad took a turn for the worse (which he told us he had already):

"If he does not recover you will not see me here for a while," Olbermann said. [...] [H]e is with his father this afternoon.

I posted the Special Comment last night, but it's worth a second post:

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Tears.

My heart goes out to the family. Keith has been amazing, and we're all thinking of him.

VIDEO- Olbermann's tearful Special Comment about his father: "Help, help, help, help"

By GottaLaff

Two words: Life Panels.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Gut wrenching.

He should send this video to every GOP obstructionist, subhuman Big Insurance representative, and Sarah Palin.

Help. Help. Help. Help.

VIDEO- Keith Olbermann's Special Comment on Fear and Racism

By GottaLaff

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Here you go!

President’s Day Message: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

My impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about Evan Bayh's announcement not to seek re-election. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

President’s Day Message

One has to wonder why Sen. Evan Bayh, chose President’s Day to announce that he wouldn’t be seeking re-election in 2010. I believe he is trying to send this country a message. He gives two examples of why he isn’t seeking re-election and they should be of concern for all Americans.

Sen. Bayh cited two instances (1) the failure of the Senate to pass a bill on how to resolve the country’s growing deficit and debt problems (which was co-sponsored by seven Republicans but was eventually defeated when all seven voted no after President Obama came out in favor of the bill), and (2) the inability to pass a meaningful jobs bill which fell apart from complaints by both the left and the right.

Sen. Bayh’s decision not to seek re-election, who didn’t seem to have the problem of getting re-elected, can cut both ways. It can finally awaken all Americans that this mired, partisan, dysfunctional government has to end to get the country moving forward in the 21st century... or it will encourage the Republicans and their far right members to continue their policy of NO and obstructionism.

The partisan politics we are seeing will only drive more moderate legislators away from seeking re-election and will discourage those who maybe thinking about running for Congress.

Should this partisanship continue, I believe this country will move further to the right and toward a Christian Conservative theocracy form of government.

One need only to read this article and my Special Comment to get an idea where this country maybe headed.

Sen. Bayh has sent us a very important President’s Day message, I can only hope America and our Congress are listening to his message and start getting this country moving into the 21st century.

Many thanks again for another thoughtful, relevant piece, 42bkdodgr. You often say what many of us are thinking and feeling, and we thank you for your unique perspective.

Tancredo’s Literacy Test Idea Endorsed By Right-Wing Immigration Activist

By GottaLaff



Keith Olbermann put this issue into perspective so clearly that even this guy could understand it.

Okay, maybe not:

Yeh Ling-Ling, an ethnically Chinese, Vietnam-born, Cambodian-raised, France and Taiwan educated, naturalized U.S. citizen has publicly endorsed Tancredo’s proposal. In an email exchange with reporter Michael Roberts, Ling-Ling wrote:

I believe that in order to be granted U.S. citizenship, immigrants must have a good knowledge of spoken and written English, without any exception. Literacy tests should be given to all U.S. voters — native-born and naturalized citizens alike, so that their votes can accurately reflect their will.

I head a national tax-exempt non-profit organization whose leaders and supporters are racially and politically diverse, including minority immigrants. We do not and may not endorse or oppose political candidates or parties. We believe that some sort of immigration moratorium will be needed so that we can put American job seekers, welfare recipients and non-violent prison inmates to work.

Now back to the Bill Clinton TV marathon already in progress.

VIDEOS- Tea Party Racism: What The Media Won't Show You

By GottaLaff

We keep hearing wounded Tea Tantrumers whine about how misunderstood they are. They're not racists! They're just grassrootsers who care about their country. Real Americans!

Keith Olbermann put that to rest when he exposed Tom Tancredo for who he is, and who he represents:



Now, in that context, and coupled up with the corporate media propaganda that I posted about earlier (a must read), here's another video. If this is "real America", we're in a heap-o'-trouble:

America's corporate media has been covering up the fact that the Tea Party is based on bigotry, hatred and especially racism toward African-Americans. The Tea Party and "teabaggers" blow away the myth of a "post racial" America. Watch this video and see for yourself the well documented history of Tea Party racism that America's corporate media has been hiding from the world.

I'm not sure the media has completely hidden the racism, but they don't seem to emphasize it, expose a good part of it, or put the Tea Tantrumers' overall message in that context. The more quickly we can expose the worst of the worst and marginalize them, the better.

And while we're at it, let's call out the media when necessary, too. As in daily. As in hourly.

H/t: Gr8RDH

The Silence Of Our Political Leadership: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about the deafening silence of our elected officials to Tom Tancredo's Tea Party hate speech and blatant racism. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

The Silence Of Our Political Leadership

On Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010, Tom Tancredo was the opening speaker at the Tea Party convention. He made the one of most outrageous and racist remarks I’ve have heard in years.

Mr. Tancredo said “ Obama was elected because we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country” and, “people who could not even spell the word 'vote' or say it in English put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House, His name is Barack Hussein Obama."

To me, his remarks and the warm reception they received (applause, laughter and cheers) from the convention attendees has clearly defined the kind of people who are members of the Tea Party. They would like to see this country return to the America of the 1950s, that of the Jim Crow laws, the era of McCarthyism and if they could revoke the civil rights amendments.

Mr. Tancredo's remarks maligned all Americans regardless of party affiliation, but especially immigrant Americans who came to this country and worked hard to become American citizens.

While some in the media have attacked Mr. Tancredo for making those remarks, what really has me upset and disgusted is the lack of response to those remarks from our political leadership.

Where is the outrage to Mr. Tancredo’s remarks from Senator Reid, Senator McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Congressmen Boehner, and Cantor plus all the other members of both parties? Their silence is deafening.

When the leadership of this country lets such racists remarks go unanswered, they only embolden Mr. Tancredo and others of his ilk to continue to make such statements, which will only increase the hatred we are seeing, and further divide our country.

I’m afraid unless we the electorate make our dissatisfaction known to our elected officials, on their silence of these racists remarks, they will let this issue die a slow death.

Many thanks again for another thoughtful, relevant piece, 42bkdodgr. You often say what many of us are thinking and feeling, and we thank you for your unique perspective.

The Dumbing of America: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about the state of education in America and how it affects America's future. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

The Dumbing of America

For the past week something has been gnawing at me, but I couldn’t figure out what is was until a few days ago. It was remark made by Pat Buchanan following the election of Scott Brown to the U. S. Senate.

On MSNBC Pat said, to the effect, that the election of Scott Brown was the voters way of telling the Democrats they were rejecting the eastern establishment Harvard and Yale elitists for the Sarah Palin type of politician.

Pat, Sarah Palin just happens to be the exact opposite of your so called elitist group.

You glowingly support Sarah Palin who:

* Went to five colleges to get a degree

* When asked to name the newspapers she reads “ All of 'em, any of 'em that have been in front of me over all these years”

* When asked to name her favorite Founding Father, answered “all of them”.

* When asked on her foreign policy insights into Russia, answered, “They're our next door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska”.

* In the book Game Change, she is portrayed as someone who knew very little about WWI, WWII, the Cold War, and was not aware of the difference between North and South Korea.

You think this is the type of intellect Americans should elect to the highest office in this country? A person who can’t answer some very basic political questions?

Pat we are in the midst of a Great Recession, created by the Bush Administration, and most states in the last few years, have and are experiencing an economic crisis, that has required them to cut funding to their educational systems... which affects staffing levels, class size and student programs.

These cutbacks in funding could very well result in our country seeing a generation of less educated people, and I think we are already seeing signs of it.

In 2009 the Oklahoma Council of Public conducted a survey of 1000 high school students asking them 10 questions that are given to candidates for U.S. Citizenship.

Only 3% of the students surveyed would have passed the citizenship test. Included in the test were such questions as:

--Who was the first President of the United States?
--We elect Senators for how many years?
--What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
--What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

The organization that conducted the test said Arizona had similar test results, and they are concerned about the rest of the country.

A recent high school graduation report by the Southern Regional Education Board stated that only 61% of South Carolina’s entering freshman wind up graduating from high school compared to a national average of 73%; which I feel isn‘t a great percentage either.

Meanwhile, China and India continue to stress the importance of having a good education to their youth, which will eventually result in those countries passing us by both intellectually and competitively in the near future.

This country must begin investing in our educational system and have programs that stress the importance of having a good education to our youth by:

(1) establishing procedures to remove unqualified teachers, regardless of tenure
(2) developing subjects and/or programs that will enable our students to be competitive in the 21st century
(3) having realistic exams to judge a student’s true educational level
(4) having merit pay for outstanding teachers
(5) not having a curriculum whose sole purpose is to teach students to achieve at least the minimum scores for state and/or federal requirements
(6) reducing class size

Unless we start taking such action, we will become an uneducated and non-competitive country in the future.

Many thanks again for another thoughtful, relevant piece, 42bkdodgr. You often say what many of us are thinking and feeling, and we thank you for your unique perspective.

"Where were the Republicans...?" A Reader's Rant

By GottaLaff

Commenter Walt has graciously allowed me to share a comment he left under this post.

I wanted to put it up because he has made these points before under a number of different posts, but finally expressed them all in one Big Special Comment.

Anyone with this much feeling who consistently represents so many other TPC readers finally deserves to be heard right out loud.

Walt said...

The problem I have with these repubs that come in here spouting off about what is wrong with our government and they know how to fix it is, where were they during the Bush years?

How come it took the election of a Democratic president to unleash their anger? I mean what do you call Cheney's secret meetings with the fossil fuel companies early on before 9/11 and the wars they started?

Where were they when Bush was giving tax cuts to the rich without ever paying for the wars?

Where were the Repubs when the Republicans in power were turning our tax pay into an ATM machine for big corporations and private contractors?

Where were the Repubs when Bush was getting warned about an attack by terrorists and wouldn't even see his terrorist czar? 9/11 happened on his watch. Where was the anger then?

Where were the Repubs while the Bush administration was compiling the greatest debt this country has ever seen? They were listening to FAUX Noise playing the fear card daily or they were listening to Limbaugh, or Hannity, or Savage, or Levin, etc. demonize the liberals.

And now they want to say they are the independents and the wise ones when all I see is a bunch of marionettes still being controlled by their puppet masters who will lead them down the wrong road, yet again.

Yeah, our government is a mess and the Democrats are part of the blame.

But one year in power and they are to blame for this mess? That is hypocrisy on the highest level.

Government is not the problem. It is the money controlling the government that is the problem. And the ruling the other day by the Republican appointed Supreme Court Justices will only allow big corporate (including foreign) and the big Banks to control our government even more.

As Benito Mussolini, the fascist dictator said, “Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism, as it is the merger of corporate and government power”

So anytime you Repubs come in here trying to defend yourself you won't get any respect here until you atone for your sins. Only then can we come together and fight the real enemy.

And there you have it, all in one passionate, power-packed package.

Thank you, Walt.

LAFFY NOTE: Any time you want to have your opinions heard, please consider sending me a video for BLUNT. It's easy, and your voice does count.

The Brainwashing of America, SCOTUS edition: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff


My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about the Supreme Court's latest jaw-dropping decision. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

Brainwashing of America Part II

In my previous comment, I wrote about how the Conservative Republicans were trying to brainwash Americans by saying the 9/11 terrorist attacks didn’t happen on President George W. Bush’s watch.

Well, this fall you are possibly going to see the Brainwashing of Americans Part II, unless action is taken by Congress. I say this because yesterday the United States Supreme Court ruled that the government may not place any financial restrictions on corporations for spending on candidates in elections. In effect the Court is treating corporate speech the same as that of a human being.

Shareholders of a corporation are made up of individuals who maybe Democrats, Republicans, Independents and in some cases of people who may not be eligible to vote in an election. Yet the Supreme Court ruling will allow a corporation to use corporate general funds on a campaign even if their views may be contrary to the views of its shareholders.

Therefore I think its important for Congress to enact a law that would prohibit the use of corporate general funds on a campaign without first receiving shareholder approval.

In addition, Federal election laws limits the contributions an individual may make to a candidate; but the Court ruling places no limits on what a corporation may spend (not directly to a candidate) in campaigning for a candidate.

Now, who do you think will have greater influence on the election of candidate via its media ads in determining an election? Without a doubt, a corporation. This ruling makes corporate money more powerful than an individual’s vote. The old slogan ‘ the power of the people’ will have little or no meaning in future elections.

In addition, there has to be some accountability, with severe penalties, on corporations for what they say in campaign ads. Any information stated, such as in a 30 second corporate sound bites, must be truthful and verifiable or it will only lead to the brainwashing of Americans as the misinformation ad is repeated over and over.

As the Court set no such accountability standards, it's important that Congress provide penalties for untruthful ads, otherwise instead of these ads educating the electorate, they will be brainwashing the electorate.

Many thanks again for another important, relevant piece, 42bkdodgr. You often say what many of us are thinking and feeling, and we thank you for your unique perspective.

Aiding and Abetting The Enemy: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about BushCo's generous contribution to the national INsecurity of our country since 9/11. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

Aiding and Abetting The Enemy

Recently former Vice President Dick Cheney and former special assistant to President George W. Bush Ron Christie stated on television that President Obama is “aiding and abetting the enemy“; while activist Peter Gadiel, on Sean Hannity’s show suggested that Obama should be tried for treason.

All this talk about “aiding and abetting the enemy”-- and treason-- is due to the fact that the U.S. government has decided to put Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and four of his cohorts, on trial in a civilian court in New York City.

I’m not going to discuss whether the decision to try the defendants in a federal court is the right decision or not, but what I want to discuss is who I believe has aided and abetted the enemy.

After the 9/11 tragedy, the United States had the full support on the world community to find and capture Osama bin Laden and members of the Al-Qaeda organization who claimed responsibility for the horrendous acts. When the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, many nations provided logistical support and/or armed forces to help in our endeavor.

We started to lose world support, especially in the Middle East, when it became apparent that the reasons given by the Bush/Cheney administration for invading Iraq were based on lies and misinformation.

As the world became aware of the following events-- (1) Abu Ghraib Prison Photos, (2) Rendition Prisons operated by the CIA, (3)Guantanamo Bay detention camp, (4) Torture and (5) Unexplained deaths at various prison sites-- it enabled Al-Qaeda to recruit terrorists for Jihads attacks against American forces and the people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan.

But now we are also learning the war policies and practices of Bush/Cheney are having consequences in this country. Recent events show there is a growing trend of U.S. citizens participating in and joining in a global jihad.

One need only to look at such recent events as the arrest of a U.S. citizen accused of helping to plot the Mumbai, India attack; the massacre at Fort Hood, Texas; and the arrest of five young Americans in Pakistan for a possible terrorist connections... to see this global jihad is happening.

So I say to Dick Cheney, Ron Christie and Peter Gadiel: It’s not President Obama who has aided and abetted the enemy; it's the policies of the Bush/Cheney administration who have aided and abetted the enemy and have made this country unsafe and possibly open to another terrorist attack.

Dick Cheney you reap what you sow.

Many thanks again for another important, relevant piece, 42bkdodgr. This one hit home with me, in light of the many posts I've done on Gitmo detainee Fayiz al-Kandari and the subject of torture. You never fail to say what so many of us are thinking and feeling, and your perspective is invaluable.

Health Care Now: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend, Part 2

By GottaLaff

My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about getting a decent Health Care Reform Bill passed, now. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

This is the Moment

The Democrats have worked hard with the Republican members of the Senate and their own conservative members to try an reach an accord in drafting a HCR bill.

With recent comments made by Sen. Joe Liberman, Sen. Ben Nelson and Sen. Chuck Grassley, it has become more and more apparent to me, with each passing day, the Democrats will not get the 60 votes needed to pass a true HCR bill. I believe every Republican will vote against any HCR bill presented, nor will the Democrats get all their own members to vote in favor.

We know that when the Republicans are in power they pay little or no attention to the health care needs of the people. Look what they did in 2003: They passed an unfunded $400 billion dollar Medicare Drug bill that resulted in increasing the country’s deficit and cost senior citizens thousand of dollars.

Majority Leader Reid, the American people started out on this journey with you, as the song goes with “High Hopes”, and now you are at the point of another song titled “This is the Moment”. If real health care reform isn’t enacted now, it could be another 20 years before it is addressed again.

Bear in mind Sen. Reid, President Obama’s original goal was to have a strong public option, coverage for all Americans, ending rejection for pre-existing conditions, eliminating the donut hole gap in prescription drug coverage, prohibiting insurance companies from imposing annual and lifetime caps on benefit payments, and limiting premium discrimination based on gender and age.

So where are you, Senator Reid? Do you accept a whittled down HCR bill, or do the Democrats take the bull by the horns and use the Reconciliation procedure to pass a real medical reform bill? Let the Republicans scream and yell, they will do it anyway, no matter how you shape the bill.

Many thanks again for another pointed, relevant piece, 42bkdodgr. You never fail to say what so many of us are thinking and feeling, and your perspective is invaluable.

Part One here.

Health Care Loophole: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend, Part 1

By GottaLaff

My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about an unpleasant discovery in the Health Care Reform Bill. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

What Will Be The Next Discovery

On Friday, we learned with great shock, that a loophole exists in the Health Care Reform Bill, that would allow insurance companies to place an annual dollar limit on people coping with costly medical health issues such as cancer, MS, or other catastrophic illnesses and injuries.

The provision was found in the section that banned health insurance companies from having annual or lifetime dollar limitations on medical coverage. The provision mentions that annual limitations would be based upon “unreasonable” medical costs, which is left undefined. So who determines what are “unreasonable” medical costs or is that to be determined by the eye of the beholder?

Shouldn’t their be some guidelines as to what type of medical costs or number of procedures would be considered “unreasonable? Or does a patient have to find it out when its too late to consider alternatives, or has no funds or limited funds to continue the medical procedures?

The reason given by Sen. Max Baucus for the provision change, was the fear that without an annual limitation, premium costs for the American public would increase. I wonder whether Sen. Baucus and others who agreed with the annual limitation provision were really concerned about public’s annual premium costs... or were they more concerned about the profitability of the insurance companies?

So one has to wonder what else is hidden in the bill that is unknown at this time, which could adversely affect the American people from having real true health care reform.

I ask myself: (1) why did it take this long to discover the loophole? (2) Why wasn’t it discussed during the Committee’s hearings or during floor debate? and (3) When was it actually written into the bill? This is beginning to smell like something from the Fulton Fish Market.

Many thanks again for another timely, insightful, and thought-provoking piece, 42bkdodgr. You never fail to say what so many of us are thinking and feeling, and your perspective is invaluable.

Part Two coming right up.

UPDATE: Part Two.

Soul for War: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff

My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to share his feelings about Pat Buchanan, BushCo, President Obama, and the Afghan war. I am more than happy to oblige. He nailed this one.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

Soul For War

Tuesday night prior to President Obama’s speech regarding the Afghanistan War, Pat Buchanan made a remark on Hardball that upset and made me very angry.

Buchanan opined that Obama, by having a defined exit strategy, was showing he had no soul to fight the Afghanistan War, and that it would demoralize our troops and it was sending a signal to the Taliban to wait us out until we leave.

Pat, what audacity you have to say such a thing. The ones who had no soul to fight the Afghanistan War were the Bush/Cheney administration. You seem to forget, the purpose given by President Bush for invading Afghanistan in October, 2001, was to find Osama bin Laden and other Al-Qaeda members, put them on trial and destroy the Al-Qaeda organization.

Yet within a couple of months, the Bush Administration took their eyes off the ball to prepare for, and start, an unnecessary war in Iraq, based upon lies and misinformation.

They turned a deaf ear to requests for more troops to complete the job of capturing bin Laden. They left the troops in Afghanistan undermanned and ill-equipped to complete the job. Pat, their decisions and actions let down the families and friends who lost loved ones on 9/11 and the American people.

Had they completed the job in Afghanistan, there would have been no need to go to war with Iraq, a war which has resulted in the death and injuries of thousands of Americans and Iraqis. Bush/Cheney were more interested in establishing a permanent U.S. presence in Iraq and the oil the country possessed than capturing bin Laden.

Pat, the Bush Administration took this country into two wars without an exit strategy, which is the primary reason our country finds itself in the situation we are in today.

If you wanted to see President Obama’s soul, Pat, all you had to do was look into his eyes on Tuesday night. They had the look of a man who was tired and hadn’t slept very well prior to his speech, anguishing over what he knew would be the toughest decision of his presidency so far, and knowing it wouldn’t satisfy everyone.

Pat Buchanan, I never saw such a look in President Bush’s eyes.

Many thanks again for another timely, insightful, and accurate piece, 42bkdodgr. You never fail to say what so many of us are thinking and feeling, and your perspective is invaluable.

Patrick Kennedy, Bishop Tobin, and Abortion Rights: Special Comment by my 72-year-old friend

By GottaLaff



My very caring, impassioned 72-year-old Twitter pal, who goes by the name 42bkdodgr, would like to once more share his feelings about the separation of church and state. I am more than happy to oblige.

But first, a personal note from 42bkdodgr:

Many of you may wonder why I chose to use the “ 72 year old friend” as the introduction to my Special Comments. I selected the moniker so readers could see that from my age and life experiences I give a different perspective to the issues of today.

Now for his Special Comment:

Patrick Kennedy, Bishop Tobin, and Abortion Rights

I wrote about the separation of church and state in a previous Special Comment. After reading the story about Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin, asking Rep. Patrick Kennedy not to receive Holy Communion because of his support for abortion rights, I felt it was important that something be said.

I decided to have someone much smarter than me on this issue to make the comment, and I thought it would be appropriate for his uncle, John Fitzgerald Kennedy to make them.

I have linked to the speech made by John Kennedy, then Democratic candidate for President, on September 12, 1960 on the topic of the Separation of Church and State to Greater Houston Ministerial Association.

John Kennedy’s remarks are just as relevant today as the were in September, 1960, especially the statement

“I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish--where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source--where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials--and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.”

Many thanks again for another timely, thoughtful piece, 42bkdodgr. You never fail to say what so many of us are thinking and feeling, and your perspective is invaluable.

UPDATE: Video of Chris Matthews calling out Tobin here.